Wednesday, March 29, 2006
How Much Feed?
It seems that almost everyone I ask lately goes through less feed than I do for similar sized herds. So I've been trying to figure out whether I'm feeding too much feed or whether something else is going on. At first blush, it would seem like an easy thing to figure out, but so far, it hasn't turned out that way.
I feed grown bucks and dry does 3 oz. of pellets by weight per day. My Hollands also get hay almost every day (I may skip a few days per month). Show stock also gets 1 tsp. of Show Bloom and a few drops of Linatone oil. Fresh water rounds out the menu. I rarely give treats of any kind unless a rabbit shows a depressed appetite.
My feed comes in a 50 lb. bag which is 800 ounces. Since I feed an extruded feed, let's subtract 5% for the heavier than usual amount of fines, leaving me with 760 usable ounces. At 3 oz. per adult rabbit, that gives me approximately 253 servings per bag. That's enough feed for 8 adult rabbits per month. I have 60 rabbits currently that are old enough to eat 3 oz. of feed per day (yes, some of them are roommates), so I should use 7 1/2 bags of feed per month.
But wait, that's not the whole story. At any given time, I generally have nursing does. Most of my nursing does eat between 6 and 8 oz. of feed per day. I have 20 does in production. At any given time I'd like to have half of them with litters. So let's add 40 oz. per day to the total. That's 1200 oz. per month or another 75 pounds. So we're up to 9 bags of feed per month.
I will have to add a bit more feed for litters between the ages of 3 and 12 weeks. They are on free feed until approximately 12 to 16 weeks. Does receive 6 to 8 oz. for themselves, but once the kits come out of the next box, that hole receives unlimited feed. The kits stay on unlimited feed until they reach approximately 80 percent of their adult weight. I generally put them on 3 oz. at that time.
I also travel frequently, one to four weekends per month. When I pack up a rabbit, I toss out their feed, which will be stale when I return. You may decide to use that feed in the carriers, but packing 20 to 30 rabbits is hard enough without detaching their j-feeders and dumping any contents. I place pellets in their travel dishes and, while some do eat well on the road, many pick at their feed. When I return from the trip, I discard the feed in the dish, which is usually a mixture of fresh and stale feed.
And then there are sales. I give transitional feed with each rabbit I sell. I generally sell a group of rabbits about every two to three months. So I will go through a bit more feed at those times as well.
So I was at 9 bags before I added litters, waste from travel, and transitional feed. That should put me at 10 or 11 50#-bags of feed per month for 68 holes.
I've talked with breeders of rabbits and different species, including those who show very competitively and those who judge. One problem that several people have mentioned to me is the exhibitor who skimps on feed but expects top performance from their horse, goat, rabbit, or other animal. Another common practice is to buy cheap feed and then spend too much money on supplements. The breeders think they are getting a bargain with the cheap feed, but fail to add the cost of the supplements. Still another practice is to buy the top-of-the-line feed that is suited to their animal and then supplement it out of balance.
Of course, there may not be a quality feed available in your area and you must supplement in order to make things work. And again, you may have worked out a great combination of supplements that works well for you. If things are going well for you and your rabbits, don't change a thing.
But if you are having problems with kindling, flesh condition, fur, over-conditioning, frequent or unending molts, do the math on your own herd. Are you feeding enough? too much? Did you take the standard advice of "1/2 cup of feed per Holland" and fail to read the manufacturer's suggestions for your particular brand of feed? Did you weigh your feed? Extruded feed is lighter, so it takes 3/4 cup to make 3 oz. When I was on a different type, it took just 1/2 cup of feed to make 3 oz. It is important to weigh your particular brand of feed.
So I've decided that I'm feeding the right amount for my herd. But it does pay to stop and assess each part of your breeding and conditioning program from time to time. I'm glad I did.
Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry
Holland Lops Of Distinction
Precious Pet Rabbits
Pet Rabbit Care Information, Quality Pet Rabbit Breeders, and Rabbit Fun
¶ 4:56 PM
I feed grown bucks and dry does 3 oz. of pellets by weight per day. My Hollands also get hay almost every day (I may skip a few days per month). Show stock also gets 1 tsp. of Show Bloom and a few drops of Linatone oil. Fresh water rounds out the menu. I rarely give treats of any kind unless a rabbit shows a depressed appetite.
My feed comes in a 50 lb. bag which is 800 ounces. Since I feed an extruded feed, let's subtract 5% for the heavier than usual amount of fines, leaving me with 760 usable ounces. At 3 oz. per adult rabbit, that gives me approximately 253 servings per bag. That's enough feed for 8 adult rabbits per month. I have 60 rabbits currently that are old enough to eat 3 oz. of feed per day (yes, some of them are roommates), so I should use 7 1/2 bags of feed per month.
But wait, that's not the whole story. At any given time, I generally have nursing does. Most of my nursing does eat between 6 and 8 oz. of feed per day. I have 20 does in production. At any given time I'd like to have half of them with litters. So let's add 40 oz. per day to the total. That's 1200 oz. per month or another 75 pounds. So we're up to 9 bags of feed per month.
I will have to add a bit more feed for litters between the ages of 3 and 12 weeks. They are on free feed until approximately 12 to 16 weeks. Does receive 6 to 8 oz. for themselves, but once the kits come out of the next box, that hole receives unlimited feed. The kits stay on unlimited feed until they reach approximately 80 percent of their adult weight. I generally put them on 3 oz. at that time.
I also travel frequently, one to four weekends per month. When I pack up a rabbit, I toss out their feed, which will be stale when I return. You may decide to use that feed in the carriers, but packing 20 to 30 rabbits is hard enough without detaching their j-feeders and dumping any contents. I place pellets in their travel dishes and, while some do eat well on the road, many pick at their feed. When I return from the trip, I discard the feed in the dish, which is usually a mixture of fresh and stale feed.
And then there are sales. I give transitional feed with each rabbit I sell. I generally sell a group of rabbits about every two to three months. So I will go through a bit more feed at those times as well.
So I was at 9 bags before I added litters, waste from travel, and transitional feed. That should put me at 10 or 11 50#-bags of feed per month for 68 holes.
I've talked with breeders of rabbits and different species, including those who show very competitively and those who judge. One problem that several people have mentioned to me is the exhibitor who skimps on feed but expects top performance from their horse, goat, rabbit, or other animal. Another common practice is to buy cheap feed and then spend too much money on supplements. The breeders think they are getting a bargain with the cheap feed, but fail to add the cost of the supplements. Still another practice is to buy the top-of-the-line feed that is suited to their animal and then supplement it out of balance.
Of course, there may not be a quality feed available in your area and you must supplement in order to make things work. And again, you may have worked out a great combination of supplements that works well for you. If things are going well for you and your rabbits, don't change a thing.
But if you are having problems with kindling, flesh condition, fur, over-conditioning, frequent or unending molts, do the math on your own herd. Are you feeding enough? too much? Did you take the standard advice of "1/2 cup of feed per Holland" and fail to read the manufacturer's suggestions for your particular brand of feed? Did you weigh your feed? Extruded feed is lighter, so it takes 3/4 cup to make 3 oz. When I was on a different type, it took just 1/2 cup of feed to make 3 oz. It is important to weigh your particular brand of feed.
So I've decided that I'm feeding the right amount for my herd. But it does pay to stop and assess each part of your breeding and conditioning program from time to time. I'm glad I did.
Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry
Holland Lops Of Distinction
Precious Pet Rabbits
Pet Rabbit Care Information, Quality Pet Rabbit Breeders, and Rabbit Fun
¶ 4:56 PM
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Laurie, it was so funny to read you BLOG today. Jim and I had just done the same thing with the "how many bunnies vs bags of feed" yesterday.
Candi
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Candi
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